AB Combs Teacher Feedback on Crystal Island - June 5, 2010 From Teacher Perspective PLUS · Science notebook · Vocabulary with an example to explore · I like the way it was presented in questions and kid-friendly language · Map and coordinates · Visually is engaging and stimulating · Giving students a task to accomplish · The quest activity · You actually have to read the comments · I like having to go around and take pictures · There are many things to engage · Although did not grow up playing games, I liked this game · Liked collaborating to do the activities · Like the diversity in the program – the people are all different · Not overwhelmed by tasks too quickly · Even if you didn’t know landforms, you leave with a working knowledge of landforms · Liked that the avatars moved more slowly even though kids complained – kids might miss things if avatars could move too quickly · I like the waterfall sound, it is soothing
DELTA · Dam did not look like a dam · Kids had trouble identifying a Delta because of the view
SUGGESTIONS: · Prompts to add things to the notebook. Kids may not collect info if not prompted in some way. · Have the notebook and conversation open at the same time – let students · Would like to have the students be able to interact in the game – multi player · When taking a picture – have a real world view of the location, dam, delta – delta was difficult for kids to get, because of view · Add scaffolding activities – use sand dollars to buy special things, bikes, · It would Add motion and design · To make more engaging (realistic) add movements, such as have then take a map out of pocket and unfold, lick a pencil, etc. · Add other ambient noises · Add other touches…such as foot prints in the sand
OTHER COMMENTS: · Found it easier to use different keys to navigate than the keys identified in the tutorial
What is 21st Century Learning?
guiding not telling
various forms of interaction, technology, visual, oral
bringing the "real" into the classroom
self-directed student led learning
real world
hands-on
problem solving
communicating in new ways
global collaboration by students and teachers
does it always involve technology?
teachers learning new things from students
discovering ideas through project-based learning
higher level thinking
engagement
not just having new toys
being able to connect with others globally to learn
student driven
helping students become analytical consumers of digital media
How can Crystal Island Foster 21st Century Learning? Current Version · Collaboration · Navigation around the game (learning by doing) · Synthesizing important info for quests and notes (literacy) · Engaging · Visual learning · Hands-on · Real-world themes · Problem-solving · Capturing digital images · Application of real-world knowledge
Suggestions for Future Versions · Real pictures · Live communication (collaboration) o With pairs o Others o But take care not to have too much interaction so as not to distract from learning – perhaps a defined network of students · Read out loud for some students · Higher order thinking · Problem solving · Merging game w/in-class activities
Brainstorming art design
Art is fantastic
Students wanted a pet, so it's good that the robots are coming
Animals are going to be added
Want characters to blink
Brainstorming ecosystem game content
include science instruments
include different types of ecosystems
demonstrate changes in the ecosystems virtually
terrarium of each biome
cause/effect of what happens when the frog population decreases
what happens when ???
understand the difference between adaptations and niches
how organisms thrive in an ecosystem
on the beach talk about organisms that could integrate
have an ecologist at the hut and ask them to investigate what is wrong
virtual problem based learning
see the interaction of consumers and producers
Brainstorming pedagogical dashboard
access to their notebooks
monitoring tools
Space for dialogue between teacher and student
How much time a kid is off task vs. on task
Control how much the kid can roam vs not roam
shouldn't read to them student all the time--switch it up
customization should be on one page
Program called Read About--it allows you to turn on and off sound
Keep track of individual kids progression in the game
Have the objective next to the curriculum standard
Control their game play if they play the game at home
A check goes by the individual's name when they master an objective
Base it on the national standards
Students could send the teachers a message for help, etc.
Students could receive sand dollars based on writing in their notebooks
Brainstorming within-game assessments
Act of completing a task is one type of assessments
Let each quest have one objective at the beginning; as the game continues have multiple objectives
Flag posting is not allowed if the students have not mastered the content
You have to answer two questions before you can go to the next level.
AB Combs Teacher Feedback on Crystal Island - June 5, 2010
From Teacher Perspective
PLUS
· Science notebook
· Vocabulary with an example to explore
· I like the way it was presented in questions and kid-friendly language
· Map and coordinates
· Visually is engaging and stimulating
· Giving students a task to accomplish
· The quest activity
· You actually have to read the comments
· I like having to go around and take pictures
· There are many things to engage
· Although did not grow up playing games, I liked this game
· Liked collaborating to do the activities
· Like the diversity in the program – the people are all different
· Not overwhelmed by tasks too quickly
· Even if you didn’t know landforms, you leave with a working knowledge of landforms
· Liked that the avatars moved more slowly even though kids complained – kids might miss things if avatars could move too quickly
· I like the waterfall sound, it is soothing
DELTA
· Dam did not look like a dam
· Kids had trouble identifying a Delta because of the view
SUGGESTIONS:
· Prompts to add things to the notebook. Kids may not collect info if not prompted in some way.
· Have the notebook and conversation open at the same time – let students
· Would like to have the students be able to interact in the game – multi player
· When taking a picture – have a real world view of the location, dam, delta – delta was difficult for kids to get, because of view
· Add scaffolding activities – use sand dollars to buy special things, bikes,
· It would Add motion and design
· To make more engaging (realistic) add movements, such as have then take a map out of pocket and unfold, lick a pencil, etc.
· Add other ambient noises
· Add other touches…such as foot prints in the sand
OTHER COMMENTS:
· Found it easier to use different keys to navigate than the keys identified in the tutorial
What is 21st Century Learning?
How can Crystal Island Foster 21st Century Learning?
Current Version
· Collaboration
· Navigation around the game (learning by doing)
· Synthesizing important info for quests and notes (literacy)
· Engaging
· Visual learning
· Hands-on
· Real-world themes
· Problem-solving
· Capturing digital images
· Application of real-world knowledge
Suggestions for Future Versions
· Real pictures
· Live communication (collaboration)
o With pairs
o Others
o But take care not to have too much interaction so as not to distract from learning – perhaps a defined network of students
· Read out loud for some students
· Higher order thinking
· Problem solving
· Merging game w/in-class activities
Brainstorming art design
Brainstorming ecosystem game content
Brainstorming pedagogical dashboard
Brainstorming within-game assessments